Massage device.



L- E. AHLMAN.

MASSAGE DEVICE.

APPLICATIONHLED NOV. 21, 1916.

63 IN VEN fOR.

ATTORNEY MASSAGE DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. AHLMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at 1123 Bannock street, the city andconnty of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in massage devices for use therapeutically in connection with the spinal column, and the invention has for its object the provision of an apparatus for locating and recording the particular positions of afflicted nerve centers of the human spinal column and for the mechanical application to said nerve centers of a curative influence.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for conveniently determining the particular aiilicted vertebral nerve junctions of the human spinal column and for the treatment of such afflicted nerve junctions to induce their normal condition.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will now be described withreferenceto the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the massage device; Fig. 2 is a side view of the concussion instrument used independently of the massaging apparatus; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the concussion instrument used on the massage device scale; and Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the application of the massage device to a patient.

Correspondingand like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

Let the numeral 5 represent a head rest, which is composed of any suitable material to form a cushion. A curved spring arm 6 is extended from the head rest 5 and is adapted to symmetrically extend over the patients head, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The outer extremity of said spring arm 6 is provided with an eyelet 7 which is adapted to receive a hook member 8. The hook member Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 1'7, 11 91'? Application filed November 21, 1916.

Serial No. 132,692.

8 is attached to one extremity of an elastic recording strip 9, and another similar hook member 10 is attached to the other extremity of said elastic recording strip 9. The hook member 10 is adapted to engage in an eyelet 12, which is formed on the extremity of an arm 13 ofa retaining member 14;. This arm 13 is curved, and in its applicationis adapted to be passed between the legs of the patient, as illustrated inFig. 5, the said arm being extended from a transverse member 15 of the retaining member 14:, which said transverse member 15 is adapted to be positioned transversely of the patients body and engage the patients legs. Thus, in the applicationof the massage device to the patients body, the elastic recording strip 9 extends longitudinally of said body, and is retained in such position by its connection with the head rest 5 and with the retaining member 1 1. V

In Fig. 1, the massaging device is illus trated in its application for diagnosis of the spinal column, and while, perhaps, this will i be the most general use of the invention, it will be understood that the same may be applied for diagnosis, or for massaging ofthe front part of the body. However, for the purpose of this specification, the invention will be confined in its description for use in massaging and diagnosis of the spinal column.

The elastic recording strip 9 is divided off to correspond with the four principal divisions of the spinal column, the same being the cervical, .dorsal, lumbar and sacrum, and each of these principal divisions is subdivided, as shown at 16 and numbered consecutively to correspond with the vertebrae of each particular principal division.

By reason of this recording strip 9 being of elastic, the same will adjust itself in conformity with the size of the patients body to which the same is applied.

A concussion ball 17 is slidably mounted on the elastic recording strip 9, the elastic recording strip 9 passing through a slot 18,

which said slot is approximately centrally located in said ball 17. An opening 19 is dle member 21.

net slot 23, which is formed in the ball 17 and in communication with the interior of the opening 19. The leg 20 is formed of a tubular hollow member, which said hollow extends entirely through the T-shaped han- A marker 24 is received in the hollow of the le 20 with its marking extremity innermost and adapted to be protruded into the slot 18 into engagement with the elastic recording member 9, whereby a mark may be made on said elastic recording member 9 at the particular location thereon corresponding with the point of affliction of the patients body. A spiral spring 25 is received in the hollow of the leg 20, surrounding the marker 24, and engaged with said marker at its upper extremity, as shown at 26, and the lower extremity of said spring 25 is engaged with a shoulder 27, formed on the interior of the hollow of the leg 20. Thus, the tension'of this spring 25 normally retains the marker 2% out of engagement with the elastic recording member 9. The upper extremity of the marker 24: protrudes above the hollow of the leg 20, and'is exposed, as shown at 29, for engagement by the fingers of the operator, whereby the same may be pressed into marking position against the tension of the sprmg 25.

That portion of the ball 17 which is to be adjacent the pat-ients body is provided with a cushion tip 30, set in a recess in said ball and slightly protruded beyond the spherical surface, whereby said tip 30 will be received in cavities of the body sufliciently to exert pressure in said cavities.

By moving the ball 17 on the recording strip 9 and by engaging the said ball 17 with the different parts of the body likely to be afflicted, the positionsof "affliction may be ascertained by the sensitiveness of the ,patient, which will be manifest whenever the ball 17 is engaged with an afliicted part. Then such sensitive, or afflicted parts may betreated-by concussion with the ball 1'7, thereby stimulating the nerves in such affiicted parts.

The handle member 21 may be removed from the ball lZ'by disengaging its locking connection heretofore described, and the ball 17 may then be employed without the handle member 17. l/Vhen the massage device is used without the handle 21, it is preferable to use an independent concussion member 31 for causing the concussion on the afflicted partsofthe body. This is'do'ne by suddenly striking the ball 17 with the ball of the independent concussion member 31, thereby causing the ball 17 to engage with the afflicted part, or the alllicted part may be tapped directly with the independent concussion member 31.

While I have described and illustrated herein a specific form of my invention, it is understood that the same may be modified and varied without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, and that the invention is susceptible of various uses and. may be applied to such uses in various ways.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters .latent is:-.

1. A massage device, comprising an elastic recording strip, means for retaining said elastic recording strip in position relative to the body of the patient, and a spherical member slidably mounted on said elastic recording strip.

2. A massaging device, comprising a llexible recording strip, means for retaining said flexible recording strip in relative position to the area of the human body subject to prospective afl'liction, said recording strip being provided with division portions thereon corresponding with the divisions of the human spinal column, a spherical member adjustable longitudinally of said flexible re cording strip, and a marker carried by said spherical member adapted to be engaged with said flexible recording strip for marking thereon the locations of the alllieted parts of the body.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a recording member, a member adjustable on said recording member adapted to be engaged with the patients body for determining the location of aillicted parts, and means for causing a concussion of said member against said alilicted parts.

4:. A massage device, comprising a recording member, means for holding said recording member adjacent the patients body, and means carried by said recording strip for determining the 10 'ation of aiilicted parts of the patients body.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. AI-ILMAN. lVitnesses G. K. Animus, H. M. CREELEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

